An Infinite World
by Dr Jakarta
Summary: "Why were we placed inside this world?" was one of the many questions left unanswered in Ryan's head. While he finds his way home, the truth slowly reveals itself to him. Follow him explore the boundless possibilities and the endless lands of this Infinite World. [dropped, not continuing]
1. 1: First Night

_"Behind me is infinite power, before me is endless possibility, around me is boundless opportunity.  
I'm inside an infinite world, why should I fear?" _

_-Unknown_

* * *

"What's the time?" Haryo turned to Ryan excitedly.

"What do you think?" said Ryan with a dash of sarcasm.

"'What do _I _think?' I don't even know!"

"Yo, you just asked me the same question two minutes ago. Two. Minutes. Ago." Ryan replied, trying to keep his voice low and avoiding attention from the class. _Can't you be any more annoying? _

"Well… It's hard to concentrate when Minecraft is the only thing on my mind. He-he-he." He said smiling. His smile would seem annoying for some people, people like Ryan.

_Bothersome._ He placed his chin on his left palm while his right hand's fingers were already occupied with his skillful pen-spinning tricks. He tried to give his attention to his sociology teacher that was already successful in making half of the class fall under his _magical sleeping spell_. He should be a wizard in _Harry Potter, _Ryan thought.

After another lunar cycle passed by (read: two minutes), a small piece of paper slid on his desk and interrupted his pen-tricks.

LET'S HAVE A MINECRAFT LAN PARTY  
WITH REY AND THE OTHER KIDS :) :)

-ALEKSANTDER SIHOMBING

It took a while for Ryan to read the awfully written note. He didn't recognize the name written below the message, but he didn't need a detective to figure out who wrote it. _Haryo Abdala. _He shifted his head up a bit and stared at Haryo's eyes that looked like it was saying: _'Come on come on! Let's play! You'll play right, right?!'_ Ryan gave out an uninterested look and whispered, almost with no voice: "No. I don't play Minecraft. And I'm not a kid—_we_ are not kids."

"Ah… I know deep down in the smallest corner, in the deepest reaches of your unfathomable heart, you actually want to. You really _realllly_ want to."

"Have I ever said 'no' and not mean it?"

"Yes you have. And I know you really want-"

"No."

"Ah, you are no fun at all. You are boring. Boooorrrrriiing."

"Shut up."

"I know! You actually want to meet up with that Novia after class right?! I always see you two at the library after I shoot some hoops!" He blurted out. It was loud enough for the whole class, and the wizard, to hear. Whispers, chuckles and giggles filled the atmosphere around them. "Ryan's with that girl from class 11-5?" "Wow I didn't know he even had a social life." _Shit shit shit shit shit shit. _Blood rushed to his face. He slammed his forehead onto his desk and buried his face inside his arms.

"Hehe… Sorry Ryan."

Ryan only kept silent and secretly pointed out his middle finger to Haryo. _Fuck you! Fuck you and fuck your fucking game! Fuck you! And you call yourself a fucking friend?!_

The bell rang through the speakers, three times. It was a sign that school was over.

Ryan quickly took his backpack and quickly avoided everyone. He had only one thing on his mind: Home. When he took his bike out of the school gate he overheard someone shout: "You're not going on a date at the library, _Ansos_?!" _No, jerk._

When he reached home, he did the usual: The laundry, the dishes, then the newspapers, and last the bed. No, he doesn't make the bed. There are those three usual steps: lay on it, read a novel on it, sleep on it. That repeats for almost every time he has spare time. And unless he has homework, then there is spare time. But when he tried to read the first word on his novel he couldn't stop thinking those stupid words that his friend had to shout out inside the class. He keeps on cursing him and hits the bed. He, unusually, sat up, went to his computer and turned it on.

Ryan opened the browser and connected to that-well-known social network. Then it happened, it was like a miracle, or a curse. 'Novia Adriana just uploaded a photo'. _Universe, if you are conspiring with those jerks you just did it._

He scrolled down a bit. And he narrowed his eyes in disbelief. 'Haryo Abdala posted: "Minecraft Update! WOOOHOOOOOO! NAOW I CAN RIDE THEM HORSES YEA!"' _Yep universe, congratulations!_

He clicked on the link. He was curious. It opened up a page with several pictures. They all had those unique blocky graphics. _This was the game he was talking about? What's with this? I thought games these days were all about the 'Video' not the 'Game'._

Ryan left his computer on and jumped to his bed. He couldn't even focus on a word in that novel, so he decided to skip that step in his system, which he already did break. After he closed his eyes, he eventually dived deep into his slumber.

A violent grumble suddenly woke Ryan up from his slumber. He held his stomach, and it grumbled for the second time. I should get something to eat, he thought. He slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by the sky, already colored in orange and yellow. He stared at the sky, amazed by how well-built this universe was. Then he realized something. _When the hell did I have a sunroof house?!_

He quickly sat up. His eyes widen, his hands gripped the grass around him.

The white walls and ceilings, his PC, and his books were all gone as if it were a part of a magic trick. All that was left was a vast grass plain. He gazed at the setting sun and the beautiful silhouettes of horses galloping in front of it. He couldn't think of anything at the moment.

Ryan then stood up. He looked down and smiled. His grey pair of pants and his green shirt -and not to mention his underwear- didn't vanish with his house too. But he needs a new pair of shoes. He looked around and tried to find out where he was and how he got here.

_Calm down. Where am I? I am in the middle of nowhere, a steppe. Where in Indonesia could I find a steppe? Bromo, Nusa Tenggara, and it isn't even as cold as this. How the hell did I get out of my house? How could someone break in and kidnap me and suddenly waste their time trying to find an unidentified steppe and put a 16-year old adolescent teenager here? No one. No one would want to waste their time and money doing things like that._

He looked up. "ARE YOU HAPPY UNIVERSE? ARE YOU HAAAAAAAAAAPPY?!" And the universe only answered with an echo of Ryan's own voice. "_Happy... Happy... Happy..._" It seemed like the universe was making fun of him.

Ryan scanned around again. He found out that there were four types of animals around him. A horse herd, a sheep herd, three pigs and a chicken. _Wait. Three pigs and a chicken… Three pigs and a chicken?! Is this even their natural habitat? _

The day turned to night. Everything went dark. The stars started to fill the sky. He lay down again. He closed his eyes. _Maybe if I slept again everything will be back to normal._

He hardly could get any sleep, but he still forced his eyes shut and hope he'll get to sleep soon enough. The night was silent. He opened his eyes again and gazed at the stars. _There're many of them. That means I'm not even close to a city or a town. _

The night's silence was no more. There were sounds of footsteps from behind Ryan. He sat up again and turned around. It seemed like a silhouette of a person. He stood up and walked closer to get a better look.

"Uh… Excuse me? Is there any towns near…"

The silhouette wasn't a silhouette. It turned around to him; a tall looking man-like thing, about three meters high. It seemed like it didn't have any flesh, its rib cage was visible for anyone to see. Its skin wasn't normal, it was black— or maybe dark purple.

Its arms were abnormally long. And when Ryan looked into its eyes, he could only see the color purple, and maybe the color of death. Ryan swallowed his own saliva.

"...here?"

* * *

A/N: _Okay...*inhales, exhales*_ This is the third attempt I tried to put "Infinite World" on fanfiction. I thought it would be a blast and things and things and other things. So then I posted three chapters. Then I got bored. Then I deleted it. Then I posted it for the second time with an amazing first chapter (at that time I thought it was amazing) But then I didn't write for 4 months (But I already wrote until the 4th chapter and I thought it was ruuuuubbbishhhhh). So this is my third attempt. I already sorted out the plot and characters and stuff. Hope this'll entertain ya'll folks and them minecraft fanboys and fangirls.

*Ansos means Anti-Social if you didn't know.


	2. 2: The Frontier

Ryan was fixated at the dark figure's violet eyes. Its jaw opened widely as it started to glow in purple, while its body started to shake violently. Purple colored particles started to float around the figure's body. It screeched, its sound was horrid; it felt like fear, inferiority, and death. Ryan fell on his rear. And they kept staring at each other for quite a while.

"Stay like that!" Ryan's head twitched a bit while trying to sneak a quick look at the source of the voice. But he shouted out again. "No-uh! Don't you even try to take your eyes of him's!"

Ryan kept still trying not to take his eyes off those violet ones.

"Mhm, just like that!"

A splash of water unexpectedly struck the side of the dark figure's head head. It eventually vanished, leaving its purple colored particles floating about. It seemed like it teleported somewhere else. Ryan was now not only confused on how he got here; he is now confused with the thing he just encountered before.

"…It's surprising the Enderman didn't attack you on sight."

"Slenderman?"

"_Enderman_. That black thing you stared at from before. It's a ruckus once you battle one, they usually teleport behind you. And once you get used to his teleportation pattern it teleports somewhere else, somewhere you wouldn't expect. And other times he'll teleport away and watch you from a distance, you'll wait for him, and wait, and wait… and then WHACK! He'll take you by surprise when you're not even expecting him."

Ryan turned to the light-skinned man beside him. He was quite old, around 35 years old. He had a brown trimmed beard and long uncombed brown hair. He was wearing a pair of long denim pants and a leather armor torso. His smile was warm, like hot chocolate on a cold winter day. _A foreigner?_

"Oh pardon me. My name's Alosious Verashdel. They used to call me 'Young Al' back in Central." He rubbed his chin and then continued. "Well, I'm not that young anymore so you could call me 'Al'." Al said as he extended his hand to help Ryan up.

"I'm Ryan… Ryan Kemshell." He took his hand and stood up. "Well, did you happen to see anyone or a group of people around here before that… Enderman, that maybe was carrying a person?"

"Nope. There's hardly ever been anyone around here these days, except you. Maybe I should ask how a young boy, like you; unequipped, inexperienced… How did you end up at the Frontier?"

"The Frontier... you mean the middle of nowhere?"

"_The Frontier._ 'Welcome to the ends of the world. This is not the middle of nowhere. This is still just the beginning.'" Al kept silent after that energized advertisement-like speech of his. He waited for Ryan's response. "…No? Never heard of it?"

Ryan shook his head.

"Well then, I guess you're from somewhere afar. Where's your home?"

"Jakarta."

"Jakarta? Never heard it. Must be somewhere beyond the West Plateau, am I right?"

"Uh, it's the capital of Indonesia."

Al tilted his head a bit to his left and scratched his head. He showed a puzzled face, it seems like he never heard of Indonesia.

"Indonesia. You know… The largest archipelago-country in the world?" Ryan said while trying to draw out Indonesia's shape in the air with both his arms.

"Hmm. There're no archipelagos near here. And the map from central never had any large islands. Are you sure that Indonesia exists?" Al asked again while holding both of Ryan's shoulders. Al's brown eyes seemed friendly and calm, Ryan kept looking at them at a moment before he replied.

"I'm sure! Why the hell would I lie?!"

"Hell?"

"Hell!"

"What is this 'Hell'?"

Ryan kept silent. He had a more confused look then what Al shown to him before. _This guy doesn't know anything about Indonesia. Wait, he doesn't even know what the hell a 'hell' is?! WHERE THE HELL AM I?! And what the hell was that Slenderman thing back then? Argh! This is waaay too much for me to digest in one day._

"It's getting late. I don't want us to meet any more of those Enderman. And I don't want to waste my time putting up a fight against the Undead. I'll take you to the Frontier."

It wasn't really a choice whether or whether not to follow Alosious. But with many things already buzzing in Ryan's head, he followed Al without hesitation.

-ooo-

As far as they journey there weren't any signs of Endermen, or the Undead Al mentioned earlier. The surroundings changed from what were grass plains to savannas with high hills and some silhouettes that seemed to be mountains from afar.

"How long are we going to keep walking?"

"Just enjoy the view, we're almost there."

'_Enjoy the view' my ass. I'm not wearing shoes you ignorant jerk. _

"Oh, don't worry about your feet. I'll give you some leather shoes and a proper armor for you when we get to the Frontier." Ryan unexpectedly stopped walking. He was astonished on how Alosious somehow managed to read his mind. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ryan shook his head and they continued on walking. "And that thing you call an Endermen. Are those things something common around here?"

Alosious stopped. He took a long deep breath then exhaled.

"There are two things you must understand if you're going to stay around me. One. We do not hunt down and kill Endermen. Two. Never..." He turned around and this time he was somewhat furious. "Never. NEVER use 'IT', 'THING', or 'THAT' when you speak of ENDERMEN. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

Ryan only could stare at Al's dark brown eyes as he said that. "I-I got it." Ryan replied nervously.

Al turned around. He covered his face with both his hands. He seemed like he was in pain. He took a long deep breath, this time he held it in a while before exhaling it out.

"Sorry, Ryan, that was… inappropriate. You never knew the rules so you weren't breaking them… Well those aren't rules actually for you, you don't even know the situ-…" He stopped. He turned his head, only showing the left side of his head to Ryan. He then smiled. "This, this isn't like me. Well, let's just continue to the Frontier."

The situation became awkward on the way to the Frontier. They arrived at a cave and proceeded into it. The walls were quite narrow. Several torches hung on the wall were the only light source. Al started to climb a ladder upwards. He told Ryan to hold on firmly to the ladder and follow behind him. After a quite long climb, Al opened up a hatch and struggled over it. They reached their awaited destination.

"Welcome to _the_ Frontier." Al said while extending his arms, proudly showing this place of his.

It was a large place with frameless windows surrounding it. The kitchen and living room was somehow merged into one. And on another corner there was a workbench with many other utilities. And near that workbench laid a furnace; already burning something. There were 4 more doors. Three wooden and one made of steel. A fireplace was lit. It felt like home, Ryan thought.

"Those two rooms over there are occupied. You take that room over there. And don't ever try to open up that steel door." Al said. He was quite solemn when he said about the steel door part. "Get some rest now."

"About what I said about back then… I'm sorry."

"No. Don't worry about that. Just get some rest; we've got something to work on tomorrow. Don't even try to stay up late." He said.

Ryan entered the room just as Al told him too. It was quite great. There was a bed with a torch above it, and there was also workbench on the opposite corner with a chest beside it. _Just how many workbenches are there in this... Frontier?_

Ryan sat on the side of the bed. The frameless window gave a great view of the night sky's horizon. He then put out the torch. Now it was the night's stars turn to light the room. He tucked himself inside the blankets, and slowly shut his eyes.

Silence filled the night. But before Ryan fell asleep he overheard someone quietly weeping from outside the room. _I'm starting to hear things._

Then slumber finally took him away.

* * *

**A/N: **_Wheeeeeewwwww_! Second chapter, and I got a review one favorite and one follow for the first chapter(although it got some grammar errors, I'll catch up on em later). Thank you utopianking and GameWritersUnite (sorry if misspelled). So maybe until the 4th chapter there wouldn't be many action, I'll only be adding the foundations to this story. And I thought this chapter would contain the materials I had in mind for chapter 3, but I guess I couldn't compress it well enough, and viola, chapter two was created. For the moment I don't need OCs, I already got a bunch of characters already stored in my mind.

Oh don't forget that I don't imagine the things here blocky. It maybe makes it lose the Minecraft touch, but some of the next chapters will make it feel more like Minecraft. (Except for the mobs ofcourse)

And isn't it weird that Al doesn't treat the Endermen like other mobs?


	3. 3: The Girl From The Library

A/N: Yup. This story's pace is really slow and I really, realllllly feel like on giving up. But hell, what can I accomplish in life if I give up on simple things like this. So yes! Yes we can! I'm going to write this story whether you like it or not. But I hope you'll like it. Or not.

Oh and in this chapter I'm going to add a new character.

* * *

Ryan's sight when he first opened his eyes was the rays of sun breaking the dawn.

He sat on his bed and gazed out the window. It was quite amazing that Al made a home disguised as a peak of a hill. Ryan stood up, made the bed and walked out of his room. Alosious was crouching before the furnace watching it ignite.

"Good mornin', Ryan."

"Morning." Ryan said, half yawning. He pulled a seat at the kitchen table and sat there. He rested his elbow on the table and then placed his chin on his left palm. Ryan watched Al that was currently watching the furnace. _What is he doing?_

"You might be wondering what I'm doing. I'm currently smelting iron ores into iron ingots. I'm going to craft you up an axe."

"What for?"

"Wood-chopping, of course! Where'd you think all of my wood came from?"

"And how the hell- How am I, 'an unequipped and inexperienced boy', supposed to cut down a 7-meter tall tree?" Ryan said as he lifted his head from his palm. "And what do you mean by 'craft me up an axe'?" He said trying to imitate Al's voice in the most horrible way he could.

"Well... I already did craft you an axe. I'm just smelting these for extra ingredients. Just open that small chest beside the hatch to the ladders. Put them on and go start." Al stood up and then went to the work bench. "Take on 5 oak trees down the valley west from here. When they drop an oak sapling, plant them on the ground, what's the use of attaining when we can't maintain it? Oh, and I only need around 35 blocks."

"What do you mean 'around 35 blocks'?"

"Oh right, you're new to this. Just cut the second block from below then make a 2 meter tall clearance. Jump on the lower block, and then chop all of 'em above you."

Ryan sat there and kept silent, his face was showing disbelief. He tried to understand what Al was saying.

"Don't just stare there. You're burning up daylight! Come on! Quickly!"

-ooo-

_How did I end up following his orders? This is child labor! Where the hell are my rights!_

Ryan arrived at the location Al mentioned earlier. His axe was rested at his shoulder when he walked to the first oak tree in sight. The winds from the hills were strong. It shrieked; it was loud like horses galloping down from the mountains.

Several oak trees were before him. He walked to an oak tree that looked quite young. He thought that young oak tree would be an easy prey. Ryan looked up; the wind was blowing the leaves apart from their branches while rays of light tried to penetrate trough them.

He shook his head and smiled a bit. He couldn't believe that between these nonsense events the world around him was as beautiful as always. Ryan now held his axe with both his hands. The axe was quite heavy. He took a stance; his axe at hip height and his feet were aligned with his shoulders.

"Make this easy, okay Oak?"

He swung it with all the power he got. A chunk of wood flew off. The oak's trunk was now damaged. But after a while the tree recovered again. He brushed his fingers on the recently damaged trunk. He couldn't keep his mouth closed from amazement.

_How. Did. That. Happen._

He took a stance again and swung his axe again. Then before the trunk recovered again, Ryan's axe has already made another dent on the tree. Every second the trunk was going to heal, his axe already laid another blow to it.

Finally the axe cut through. The tree he recently tried to cut down now had a 1 meter gap in the middle of it. Beside the tree was a small cube floating, it had the same texture as the tree had. Ryan threw his axe aside; it landed with its blade perfectly stuck into the soil. He sat down. He couldn't believe it. The tree was now floating 1 meter above another part of its trunk.

"You only managed to cut down one block of wood and you're already this tired?"

Ryan's ears tensed a bit, this voice was familiar to him. He turned around slowly. His eyes widen at the sight he saw. She was a young girl around 16 years old, the same age as Ryan. Her black shoulder-length wavy hair was dancing in the air while the wind blew it. Steel plate armor covered her body. A sword was sheathed beside her waist. Ryan made eye contact with her for a second, and then he quickly turned to his oak tree again.

"Pfft. Why are you dressed like that Novia? You're on your way to a comic-con or something?" Ryan turned to his floating tree and then forced a laugh. He crawled to the currently floating tree and placed his head below it.

"What are you trying to do Ryan?"

"I'm waiting for Isaac Newton to resurrect and laugh at this joke you call gravity."

Novia frowned, she wasn't amused. She pulled on Ryan's collar from behind and made him sat down.

"Ouch! Why did you have to do that?" Ryan reached his shirt's collar and fixed it. He grinned and then continued saying; "You know, no boys think of a rough girl like you cute."

"And no girls will think of a slacker like you attractive."

_Fair enough. _Ryan stood up and pulled his axe that was previously stuck to the ground. He walked to the currently floating cube and crouched beside it. He narrowed his eyes.

"Could you spare some time to explain? What is this? Where the hell are we? Who is that Al-lone-zo living by himself at the _Frontier?_ And why is that tree floating?" Ryan paused and swallowed his own saliva. "Well I have more questions but you can start off with those for a start.

"We're in Minecraft." Novia said as she slowly walked to Ryan.

"Mine- Wait what?!"

She crouched beside him and then took the cube in her left hand; it was floating on her palm. She gently held and lifted Ryan's left wrist and placed the cube on his left hand's palm.

"We're in Minecraft. I don't know how but after school when I was at the library, I fell asleep and woke up somewhere… _very far _from where I was before. Then I was taken care of some nice people; they called themselves '_The Traditionalists'. _They were at war, a civil war. I trained and fought with them for almost a year. And this cube on your palm here is what happens with things that are destroyed. But that only applies for materials, and you must have the right tools to get the right materials."

"One year?! I just talked to you _two_ days ago! How Am I suppose to believe that nonsense?"

"I said I don't know! Can't you just try to believe someone once in a while?"

Their eyes met. Her dark brown were beautiful. Ryan remembered when he first met her on the first year of high school; she was the only girl he could comfortably talk to since then. After a while Ryan realized he was staring at her eyes a second to many. His face went red as he quickly turned away from her.

"Y-yeah I'll believe you."

"Good to hear that!" She said cheerfully. She smiled at him and stood up. "We already wasted our time only talking here, _you _should continue to work."

They –with Ryan doing most of the work- continued to gather the wood Al asked for. It turned out that everyone in this _world_ had some kind of inventory without bringing a bag, and everyone could access this. Ryan could do this by drawing out a capital '**I**' letter in the air. A translucent grey rectangle with several squares would appear (that was very similar with the Minecraft Inventory menu), and it could only be seen by the wielder.

The sun already shined from above their heads. They finally finished gathering the blocks they needed. Every tree they took down now had a sapling planted where it was before. Now that they had what they needed, they continued to walk back to the Frontier.

"So… You were already here for one year. But you were never missing in our world. That means there's some kind of time slip going on here?"

"Well I guess so." Novia said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"And what day was that?"

"I think it was Monday…" Her eyes glanced to her right. "Yeah, it was Monday, I remembered you slipped near the stairs." She said as she smiled playfully.

"Did you fell asleep because you were waiting for me at the library?" Ryan said jokingly.

"N-no! I was just reading some boring clichéd book." She said, hiding her face from Ryan. _It's easy reading through you__._


	4. 4: Rotdnaver Verashdel

A/N: Rewritten version of chapter 4. Yesterday's version was really bad I guess.

I'm not an expert on ships or pirates or things so please tell me if there's some mistake there. Or in the grammar. Or you an just review and tell me what I got wrong or anything or something or things and things.

Mellifluousness: Thanks for the reviews! They are very building.

Bangke: I'll pretend you never reviewed.

* * *

Sophia's Edge Harbor, Central Kingdom. Two days after Ryan's _Arrival_.

Seagulls were flying high above, casting shadows on the wet harbor's wooden floor. Haryo Abdala relaxed his back on his seat and stretched his feet. HMS Ouroboros was proudly standing right before him. A massive Man-O-War ship heavily armed with 50 cannons on each side. The crew was busy, walking back and forth carrying rifles and ammunition from the docks to the deck. The sunlight shinning above was just warm enough, until a figure shadowed over him.

"What can I do for you, First-Officer Alex," asked the man before him.

"Well you can move away, your blocking my sunlight! And it is Alekst, not Alex," Haryo said while closing his eyes.

The person before him swung his right foot to the chair. The chair lost balance with Haryo on it, and continued with a loud thump.

"I didn't ask for that!"

"'I didn't ask for that!'" The person before him imitated with a high-pitched voice. "I am Captain Renard Braddock, your Captain, for God's sake! Stop daydreaming and put your arse on some work or something, Haryo! Don't get all high and mighty just because you can _craft_ better than others."

"You mean 'craft _waaaay _better than others.'"

"Oh, for the love of-… Just go."

"Aye-aye Captain!"

Haryo quickly stood up and rushed to the HMS Ouroboros. Unlike the other soldiers there, he was the only one with tan skin. And what makes him more distinguished was that the soldiers were uniformed like 18th century naval soldiers, while he was wearing a pair of jeans, a white _cape diem _t-shirt and a leather helmet on his head. He went to the officer's quarters, a room made especially for him in that large ship. Haryo walked to the window, giving him a view of the Central's magnificent building; it was like the buildings from the same era of the uniforms worn by the crew. _Two years inside Minecraft, the former me would imagine this as fun._

"The Headless Serpent has been spotted! To your stations men! To your stations," A sudden shout was heard, followed by the loud steps of the crew from the deck as it started to get crowded. Shouts and cries filled every corner of the HMS Ouroboros. Haryo skipped to the door of his room and opened a small gap in his door and peeked out. He thought he would see the crew running through the corridor, but he saw an eye, Captain Braddock's eye.

"Hell-o Cap'n! Such nice weather isn't it?"

"Tell that to the Traditionalists. Get your arse on the Deck now!"

They both rushed to the upper levels of the HMS Ouroboros. They rushed to the wheel. Ryan took a long scope and got ready beside Captain Braddock as he took the wheel.

"Full sails! Full sails!" Captain Braddock ordered the men. Haryo then repeated what Braddock said, he was louder because that was what he had to do.

HMS Ouroboros was as quick as the wind, in minutes seagulls were already out of sight and the coastline was no longer visible. And there in the midst of the raging waves lay what was called the _Headless Serpent_. It was the fiercest, most known Traditionalists ship that had ever sailed the Sophia Sea.

"There she is; the troublemaker. It's been months since we started to fight with this imbecile, this time we will get him for sure. Alright men! Guns ready!"

HMS Ouroboros went silent. Now there were only three things they could here, the wind, the sea, and shanties sung by the men of the Headless Serpent. From a distance they could hear:

"_Hey don't yer see that black cloud a-risin'?_  
_**'Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe!** _((A/N: At the bold part they shout altogether))_  
Hey don't yer see that black cloud a-risin'?  
__**'Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe!  
**__Naow whin Oi wuz a little boy an' so me mother told me,  
__**'Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe!**__  
That if Oi didn't kiss the gals me lips would all grow mouldy.  
__**'Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe!**__"_

"What are they singing," Haryo asked.

"_Haul Away Joe._"

"What?"

"_HAUL AWAY JOE_," Captain Braddock said again, this time his voice was loud enough for the whole deck to hear.

"I heard what you said. I just wanted to know what type of song are they singing, never heard this one before."

"It's just another sea-shanty."

_Ond_é_ mand_é_. _Haryo shook his head.

With this the crew of the HMS Ouroboros knew; that that Frigate was _the_ Headless Serpent, and they also knew that some of them will never see the light of day again. The shanty stopped. A single shot was given from the Frigate ship ahead of them.

A loud explosion then continued with a splash was Headless Serpent's warning shot. The ships were now align; side by side, like mountain goats ready to ram against each other.

It was an intense moment of silence. It decided whether they were going to battle, or not. But the HMS Ouroboros crew knew that they will not back down now.

Then it started. Captain Braddock's order started the battle. Gunpowder was the second thing Haryo can smell other than Braddock's smelly armpit. HMS Ouroboros sent out the first rounds of shot. Cannon balls flying from the right side of the ship damaged the Headless Serpent. But that didn't mean the Headless Serpent would remain motionless.

"_Down low! Get cover!"_

The crew of the upper deck quickly slammed their bodies on the floor. But the crew on the lower gun deck couldn't quickly avoid. Cannonballs went flying above Haryo; some will penetrate the wall of the ship below him, letting out explosions as ash and wood planks flew high into the air. Floating cubes of wood remained, replacing that what was before.

"Half sails! Move, men. Move," Captain Braddock cried out. They started to circle the Headless Serpent. "We ain't letting them go!"

"Aye-aye Captain!"

The Headless Serpent dropped to its full sails. It wasn't avoiding. It went straight and continued to the Ouroboros. "_Rogue wind,"_ a man from the crew shouted. The winds weren't on their side. Ouroboros stayed still as the Headless Serpent rammed their bodies together. Captain Braddock wasn't given a choice.

"Board that ship! Now!" A fearless order from Captain Braddock, then followed by a violent shout from men of the Ouroboros crew; showing the enemies that they had no fear of death. Soldiers from each side swung on their ropes to the other ship. Some of them would clash in mid-air and slash the enemy down, while others created bridges of cobblestone to connect the ships. They were determined; they will not lose this ship.

Haryo nodded to Braddock and left him behind. Haryo ran to the enemy's ship. This wasn't the first time he faced the Headless Serpent. Haryo took out a cobblestone cube for each of his hands. He started to swing his hands one at a time in a quick pace, creating a cobblestone bridge connecting both of the ships.

Cries of men, clashing swords and rifle shots were all the ear could hear, if there was anything the heart could feel, it would be fear.. The Ouroboros mainmast fell down by an accurate shot from the fierce Headless Serpent; it made the Ouroboros immobile. The mainmast that was previously a solid piece of crafting was now disintegrated into floating cubes of wood and cotton. The crew of the Headless Serpent rejoiced. The winds were on their side. With the connecting bridges dismantled, they started to lose the Ouroboros within seconds. The remaining crew of the Ouroboros stranded on the Headless Serpent didn't stop on fighting; if they had to die, they'll die as a soldier.

"_Bangsat!_" ((A/N: Indonesian, it is translated to Damn in English. I think.))

Haryo quickly opened his inventory and switched the cubes in his hands to iron blocks. He jumped straight up and then placed two blocks below him, making a perfect two meter structure below him. He crouched and slammed two iron blocks beside the two meter high foundation. He then took a pumpkin from his inventory and placed it on top of all of it.

The structure shook. The iron started to shift its shape. It started to look like a giant piece of armor; with its eyes glowing red. Now it grew arms, with three joints connecting each segment on it. Although it was three meters tall, its long hands were inches away from the floor.

The men that were currently battling halted; they never saw anything like this. But unlike what Haryo imagined, it couldn't be controlled. It went berserk, and it didn't think twice to assault on anyone in sight.

"Captain Rove! It appeared!"

"Capture 'em. Laroche, spider-shot! Remus, chain-shot!"

Two cannons on the deck were aimed at the Iron Golem's path. They fired with no hesitation. The spider-shot left the Golem bound up in chains, while the chain projectile got Haryo on the ribs; squeezing him to the Quarter Deck's wall. Haryo turned to the Ouroboros, he hoped that it would still be behind the Headless Serpent, chasing behind with fiery eyes and blazing spirits.

But he hoped to much.

"Ha-ha-ha! Lads! We have got what we need, and we don't need what we want!"

A mid-aged man, about 36 years old walked to Haryo. His left eye was pure white with a scar trailing from his left eyebrow. He looked like a real pirate, Haryo thought.

"Crew causality?"

"Zero, Capt'en Rove!"

"Mister Remus, where is that crafter-boy?"

"Over there, Capt'en!"

Remus pointed to a boy. Haryo had his back on the wall; the balls beside him went through the wooden wall leaving his body stuck with the chains between them. These chains were crushing his ribs; his lungs were trying to jump out with his heart that was beating uncontrollably. The man they called Rove was now standing before Haryo and casted a shadow above him. He grinned, but Haryo couldn't see what was hidden below Rove's mustache.

"So, _seize the day. _First-officer of the new HMS Ouroboros, Haryo Abdala. What a great position for such a young man like you. _And_ you can summon a Golem, an _Iron _Golem_._ You must be from the _Otherside._ What a day I'm having here, ain't that right Larouche?"

"Aye-Aye captain Rove!"

Rove crouched. He yanked Haryo's shirt and looked him in the eyes. Rove smelled like alcohol, he smelled like the sea, he smelled like a villain from a pirate movie. His long black beard that was brushing on Haryo's chin was showing how close their faces were. His eyes were old; Haryo could experience life and death apart just from it.

"We are the _Headless Serpent_. I _am_ the _Headless Serpent_. I am Rotdnaver Verashdel... Try to remember that, boy."


	5. 5: Alosious Verashdel

A/N: Aaand a fast chapter release this time.

For the guy reviewing named Ares: Unfortunately I can't understand what you're saying... Sorry.

Please review _if _my English gets broken or the story is getting boring or if you like the story. And I guess only a very few people like this story *sighs*

And for now I'm going to focus on a school assignment these days, so I'll rarely post chapters for December. The things we do for our grades... Oh well, Yippee-ki-yay, motherfuhrer!

* * *

The Frontier. Two days after the _Arrival._

The horizon started to paint itself in pink and violet when Ryan and Novia arrived at the Frontier. Ryan sat near the fireplace, adjusting his rear to find his most comfortable position. Novia walked around with her right hand gently brushing the walls of the house. It turned out that Novia had already been here since the first day Ryan arrived at this horrid place, she was trying to search for Al in the morning but she found something else, she never expected. She stopped at the forbidden iron door and was almost halfway on turning the knob.

"Uh, Novi, I think that's a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Al said that I couldn't go in there, I think that applies for everyone," Ryan unbuckled his leather armor and then placed it beside him. "You haven't told me who this Al guy is."

"Alosious Verashdel. He's an Alchemist."

Ryan froze for a moment. "Oh, dear! An Alchemist! Maybe he's living alone because he _needs_ to find a philosopher stone so that his brother could be saved."

"Can't you take anything seriously?"

Ryan sighed. He straightened his back while gazing out the window. "These… alchemists, are they those good-guy brewing potions type alchemists or are they the creepy cursing-killing types? And why did you have to go this far if Alchemy is advanced around these parts?"

"The brewing potions type, and, well… This guy created Alchemy."

_Oh great. Slenderman, floating Tree, alchemy. I think I'm getting on to something here. Watson, where the hell are you?_

"O-kay. I will believe you. I _will always _believe you and be by your side. Now rain, please poor from under the roofs. Novia, you can hug me anytime you want." Novia clenched her fists, the expression on her face showed that she was really annoyed. "Forget that. You said civil war right? And Traditionalists?"

"First of all, everything here is governed by a king at the Central Kingdom, his name is King Rousseau. They have 3 colonies: The South, The West, and The East. The Southern Territory, with its well-known naval army, won't bow down to them easily. So _viola_, civil war! And 'Traditionalists' are people against rifles, because rifles, a _long_ time ago, were used for a weapon against the Undead, now they're only used for war and massacre."

"Sooo, you are here to…"

"Learn Alchemy."

"How long would that be?"

"Months. Maybe years."

"Don't you want to find a way home? Doesn't a tiniest little part of you want it?"

"I've been here for a year, Ryan. If there is anything I want to do the most, it would be going home. But this is the world I currently live in now. I can't just stand still and watch the days go by me just to wait for a miracle to happen."

A_nd I was just about to do that._

Ryan stood up, took his leather armor and walked to the chest beside the hatch to the ladders. He opened it and placed the wood blocks in his inventory, and his leather armor, to the chest's inventory. He turned around and leaned on the wall.

"Do you think there's a way home, Novi? What happens if it turns out that we have to stay here forever?" Ryan kept his gaze to the floor, he wasn't brave enough to face Novia.

"Then we'll live here forever," she said. Ryan glanced up and was surprised that Novia said it with a smile. But he also knew that behind that smile was another feeling. "I'm going to go to my room and get changed."

Ryan nodded. Novia went to her room and closed the door. Ryan slid his back on the wall and sat on the floor. He closed his eyes, held his breath and knocked the back of his head to the wall several times. _No way home. No more homework on one hand and… a pile of horse shit on the other._

He gazed to the steel door across the room. Ryan stood up and walked to the door and held on to the cold steel knob. He hesitated at first but then he let his hand open the door. It led to a dim corridor with white painted walls and red-stone torches along the way. _If_ _I have to live in this world, then I can't just sit and wait for miracles._

After several steps forward he noticed that some part of the floor tiles were different than the others.

_Is this a trap? Ah, I… No way. Wait, remember: floating tree._

Ryan carefully skipped the pressure plates randomly placed on the floor. After a while he arrived at a steel hatch with ladders downwards. He thought this was stupid, he felt like a stupid protagonist from a stupid horror movie.

Bravery and foolishness has a thin border between them.

Down below was a room with white walls. The floor was white ceramic tiles and had broken glass spread around it. The room smelt weird; like burnt cinnamon and sulfur altogether. And in the middle of the room was a bed, and on top of it was a woman, her face was half black, but not the dark skin black; the night-sky black. _She looks like one of those Slenderman. She looks like… She looks like Novia?_

Beside that bed was a chest. Unlike the chests upstairs, this one was black, and it had purple particles glowing around it. Ryan couldn't bear with his curiosity anymore and opened the chest. It had a strange red plant in it with a note tied to it:

Another Netherwart for you.  
Don't forget my dinner.

–Albert

_Albert? _Ryan turned to the women lying on the bed and tilted his head. _Maybe I can accept that gravity doesn't affect trees but I think it'll be hard accepting this woman's name is Albert._

"No, Ryan, her name isn't Albert," Ryan's ears twitched, his heart skipped a beat. Al was leaning to the wall beside him. "My secret is unfold I guess. I should've put more traps, but I knew you would be curious."

"Who's Albert?"

"I can't tell you that now."

"So, who is she?"

"Her name is Novia. Surprising isn't it? For your information, _they_ are the same persons."

It took a second for Ryan to understand what Al was saying. "The same persons?"

Al nodded while Ryan could only widen his eyes at his nod. Al covered his mouth with his right hand and walked to the women lying on the bed. He slipped his hand down and held his rough-shaved chin.

"This is why I created Alchemy. This is why I moved away from Central. This is why I won't allow anyone around me to speak of Endermen the same as those undead mobs. This is why I keep on living, Ryan," Al hunched his back and slowly caressed the women's forehead with his right hand's palm. Tears started to drip from his eyes to the woman's cheeks; Al couldn't control his emotions this time. Al kneeled beside her and continued to speak, this time his voice was like a suppressed shout, "This is why I keep on following this fairytale's rules. This world _is_ a fairytale, Ryan, and we'll only _realize_ it is one when it is about to end. And when that happens we'll only stare in amazement and wish we could go back to its threshold."

"I'm sorry, Al, I shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"No, Ryan. You shouldn't be sorry. This was my mistake to start with. It's mine to end with too." He stood up and wiped his eyes with his right arm; he turned to Ryan and forced a smile out. "That's enough for now," he said, this time his voice was the same as the normal Al that Ryan knew from the first time they met. He walked to Ryan and patted him on the shoulder. "Let's have dinner. Novi's probably waiting upstairs."

Ryan followed Al. He couldn't decipher anything right now. His mind was currently picturing one place that everyone under the same situation as him would kill to be at: home.


	6. 6: Life, And Other Little Things Around

A/N: I guess this chapter would just be a fill-in for the next events coming up. I'm a little bit confused right now. And I feel like dropping this. I really reallllllly feel like dropping this. I'm gonna drop this. Maybe, when I feel like it.

I'm thinking of an one-shot for the AC fanfic series, based on the Indonesian National Awakening era.

But I should keep that for later. Thanks for those who're still reading this until now. I barely get any views. Again, thanks for those who're still reading this! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

The sun was still deep in the east when Ryan exited the hill-house. Only the faint colors of red and orange were decorating the east horizon while the rest of the sky was dark blue with a tint of violet. Crows from the roosters around made the early morning even more annoying for Ryan. He exhaled; his breath was visible in the air. He pulled out a dagger from the sheath strapped to his thigh and spun it (ninja like) in his hand a couple of times.

Ryan halted his dagger when he felt a pat on his back. It was Al, resting a stone sword on his shoulder.

"Isn't that a little too much?"

"What is," Al asked.

"That sword," Ryan stopped to think for a moment. "Aren't we just hunting chickens?" _Don't tell me the chickens we're going to hunt are aggressive carnivores._

"Efficiency." He gazed to his sword that was already beat up with cracks all the way to the edge. "And self defense, just in case."

They slowly walked to the west side of the Frontier. That was where the chickens would gather and eat. Ryan looked to Al, he couldn't act ordinary with what happened yesterday. "So… How did Novia do last night?" Ryan asked, trying to break the awkward moment of silence.

"She was, well what should I name it," Al closed his eyes, his eyebrows narrowed as if he was thinking hard on a mathematic solution. "_Passionate_."

"Passionate?"

"Mhm. She didn't want to stop. The sky was getting bright when she fell asleep. It was amazing how fast she learned, it was like she was in a hurry. And because of that, I didn't get any ounce of sleep that night."

Ryan chuckled. "That's reckless of her."

"Next time I'll try to remind her not to be so reckless… I'll tell her that you're worried about her and–"

"I get it!" Al laughed at how Ryan could be easily teased.

They stopped at a field with chickens clucking in the midst of it. The sun was already three-quarters the way down the hill.

"You go hunt some on the left I'll go to the right. Get some eggs while you're at it," Al said as he swung his sword down. "And about last night—"

"I understand. I won't tell anyone about it."

Al nodded. _I shouldn't get myself deeper in this mess, _Ryan thought.

-ooo-

The sun was already shinning at the peak of the hills. Ryan was on top of one, led on by a chicken he chased from the plains far below him. At that time, Al already had around 25 raw chicken meats, while Ryan only got two. There should be an award for people like Ryan.

"I'm gonna name you _Ayam Kampus_," Ryan said to the chicken in front of him. The chicken tilted its head and flapped its wings. "…Or _Mampus_ for short." **((A/N: Ayam kampus is a slang word in Indonesian for a college slut, though if roughly translated it would be 'Campus Chicken'. And Mampus is Indonesian slang for dead/die/deceased))**

_Twunk!_

An arrow pierced through the chicken. Everything went slow motion for Ryan, it was dramatic. The chicken fell down and disappeared. It disintegrated into small floating green orbs and a floating piece of whole chicken meat. Ryan walked over them all as they floated around him and disappeared as they made contact.

"You should stop staring and start killing," Al said as his bow vanished into his inventory. "But it's no use either; we have enough stock for the week."

Ryan sat on the floor and sighed. He sheathed his dagger back in its place. Al sat crouched beside him. "What's wrong?"

"…You really don't know how I can go home?"

Al went silent for a moment, he only gazed to the hills across the horizon; his gaze wasn't empty though, it seemed like he was gazing into the past. "I don't know. But if you want something, the universe usually conspires with you to make it happen." _I've had enough of this universe, _Ryan thought.

"I hate this universe."

"Don't hate the universe. We're a part of it somehow. The soil grows into the wheat your mother consumes when she eats bread. She had already have the nutrients in the soil and in the air when the wheat was growing at that time. Then she gives birth to you, with that there's already a little bit of everything your mother experienced inside you. There's always a little bit of everything in you… And surprisingly, there's always a little bit of you in me."

Ryan nodded; he understood what Al was trying to tell him. He took in a deep breath; he saw a flash of him when he was six. He would run to his mother with a towel when she was painting in the front yard. His mother would place him on her lap and continue to paint with colors Ryan never knew before. When he was six he would always stop under a large banyan tree near the football field when he was going home. It had always been there until he was six-teen. Had it have eyes, what would it feel when it saw the universe grow around him?

"What if-… I'm just not strong enough to live like this."

"It's important in life not necessarily to _be _strong, but to _feel_ strong," Al said as he stood up. He walked ahead as Ryan followed behind him. "You need to feel strong right now, 'cause we're goin' in them caves."

"Yeah, I should feel— Cave?"

"Cave." He pointed to somewhere behind Ryan. He then pulled out an pick-axe and a piece of raw chicken and threw it to Ryan.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Mine." Al quickly drew out an 'I' letter in the air and pulled out a pick-axe. He rested it on his shoulder. "Eat that first."

"Raw chicken?!" Ryan lifted the chicken up and turned it to see every part of it.

"Don't stare, eat that up! It's good for you."

-ooo-

Novia sat at the table next to the furnace. There were faint black lines below her eyes, she surely didn't have enough sleep last night. She was still wearing a wrinkled green long-sleeve nightgown from her sleep, but the view she was gazing at outside was the sun that was already behind the peaks of the mountains far in the west. Then a zombie head slid on the table and stopped; it stared into her eyes. Its eye sockets were black empty and its skin was green and decomposing. It smelt horrible. She only looked back at it and continued to gaze out the window.

"Aren't you supposed to say something like '_Disgustiiing _'or squeal '_Kyaaa',"_ Ryan asked as he went to the furnace beside her. He placed a chicken inside and Novia only replied with a sigh.

"_Sorry _for not being what you expected," she said, mocking him.

"You should try harder if you want to impress-…" Al stopped as a piece of coal landed on his face. Novia giggled and Ryan hid his face away from both of them.

It went almost like that for the days to come.


End file.
